Shelter structure



May 22, 1962 D. 1. PATTI-:N 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June l0, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ooooooooooeouo/lV VE N TOR Davia' Patten ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 D. l. PATTEN 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June lO, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DavidPaes'nA ATTORNEYS May 22, 1962 D. l. PATTEN 3,035,591

SHELTER STRUCTURE Filed June lO, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /NVE NTOR Dov/dPatten A TTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,035,591 SHELTER STRUCTUREDavid Ivy Patten, Box 267, Jonesville, La. Filed June 10, 1960, Ser. No.35,221 11 Claims. (Cl. 13S- 3) The present invention generally relatesto a method of constructing structures useful for shelter purposes. Moreparticularly it is directed toward a type of shelter structure in whichan outer protective covering is supported upon a skeleton network oftensioned cable strung over spaced apart compression members and securedto suitable anchoring means.

There are, of course, thousands of different types of structures knownin the world today, ranging from pup tents to large oice buildings andamphitheaters. For the most part, such structures require a great dealof labor, expensive materials and a rather long time to erect. There aremany instances where low cost, strong structures which can be erected ina very short period of time are needed.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a suitable shelterstructure by using two or more compzression members and an anchoredcable.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a shelter having acable network which is spread over compression members in a tensionequalizing relationship for dissipating a strain exerted on one portionthereof to other portions of the structure.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a shelter having anouter covering supported on a one piece cable network in which thesegments of the cable Within said network are mounted so as to freelypermit longitudinal movement for self adjustment of the tension in eachof the individual segments.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a covering,compression members, anchor means, and one or more supporting cablesthreaded back and forth between said anchoring means and across saidcompression members for rapidly assembling a portable shelter unit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a shelter of the typehaving an outer covering and provided with one or more tensioned,cover-supporting cables, anchoring means for said cables, and asupporting frame consisting of compression members, wherein each of saidcover-supporting cables is threaded back and forth in the frameworkbetween said anchor points for dissipating local stresses throughout thestructure and for automatically adjusting for variations in the tensionof the Various segments of the cable.

Another object is to provide a method by which a covering may besupported upon a novel tensioned-cable supporting network for buildingshelter structures characterized by substantial freedom frommaintenance, ease of construction, durability, low cost, light materialsand high stress resistance.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, elements,constructions, arrangements and combinations which comprise the presentinvention, the nature of which is set forth in the following descriptionand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and which is particularlyand distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forminga part hereof.

ln the drawings, FIGURES 1 3 show a cover-supporting skeletonconstructed in accordance with one embodiment of my invention.

FGURE l is a side elevation of the skeleton;

FGURE 2 is a top View;

FIGURE 3 is an end view;

FlGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment 3,035,591 PatentedMay 22, 1962 ICC of this invention with the sheathing or covering inplace;

FIGURE 5 depicts a foldable compression member useful in constructing aportable shelter constructed according to my invention;

ln FIGURE 6 is shown a foot structure for steadying the leg of acompression member upon a dat surface such as the earth.

Three dierent fragmentary views of different type of suitablecompression members are shown in FIGURES 7 9;

h 1In FGURE 7 the compression member is provided with oies;

FiGURE 8 shows the inner surface of the compression member provided withAU-shaped retainers;

FGURE 9 discloses a compression member having cable engaging notchesabout its outer surface.

FIGURES lll-l2 show the various forms of cable engaging means.

FIGURE 13 shows friction reducing rollers mounted in notches in thecompression members.

FlGURE 14 depicts the inclusion of spring means between the anchor meansand the cable engaging means.

ln FlGU-RE l5 there is a showing of a large structure in which twocompression members of wide span have been iitted with a plurality ofcables, each of said cables being laced back and forth across saidcompression members and being tensioned between a plurality of anchoringmeans adjacent said compression members.

FIGURE 16 shows a compression member having the form of the alphabetletter Y with a horizontal bar connecting its upper arms together.

FIGURE `17 shows a compression member having a rectangular shape.

'lhis invention pertains broadly to a structure characterized by the:following essential elements:

(A) Two or more anchoring means with cable securing means affixedthereto, said cable engaging means being adapted to freely permitsliding movement of the cable which passes Ithrough it.

(B) One or more cables, each of which has been threaded through two ormore cable engaging means in vsuccessive rotation until a plurality ofcable loops have been formed.

(C) One or more compression members stationed at selected points betweensaid cable securing means simultaneously spreading and raising saidcable loops in a manner which causes -thern to for-m a Iloaddistributing and equalizing surface capable of `supporting a coveruseful for shelter purposes.

(D) Form-fitting cover means, supported at least in par-t on said cableloops and compression members.

A specific embodiment of my invention, as shown in FIGURES 1 3, employstwo anchor means 2 and 3 which may be sunk in concrete ootings 40 and 41for stability. Cable engaging means 4 and 5 are attached to each anchormeans by means of tension adjusting means such as turn-buckles 14 and15. Between the two anchor means are stationed a pair of compressionmembers 8 and 9, each generally in the form of the letter U inverted.The legs of compression members 8 and 9 are also sunk in concretefootings 12 and 13 as are the anchor means 2 and 3. In this embodimentthe compression members 8 and 9 are centered over lan imaginary linebetween the centers of the anchoring means 2 and 3 and preferably standin a plane perpendicular to that line.

One end of main supporting cable 6 in one continuous piece is threadedthrough the cable engaging means 5 and then passed through one of aplurality of holes 27 located on compression member 9 (see FIGURE 3).Next the cable is passed through one of a plurality of holes 26 locatedon the other compression member 8,

and from this hole to the cable engaging means 4. The cable is thenthreaded around cable engaging means 4, back through another of theholes 26 in compression member 8, through another of the holes 27 incompression member 9 and "back to the cable enga-ging means 5, throughwhich it is threaded again, whereafter it is ready to be passed throughother spaced apart holes in the compression mem-bers S and 9. Thisprocess is repeated until the cable has been threaded throughout thestructure to the extent necessary to provide a network of cables ofsuicient area and strength to provide the desired support.

The cable having been manually threaded is in a slackened condition.rIherefore, as much of the slack as possible is removed by pulling on itby hand. Then the loose end is iixedly secured to the nearest cablesecuring means 4 `or 5. After this is done, the turn-buckles areemployed to adjust the cable to the exact tension desired. The skeletonis now complete, except for the possible optional addition of auxiliarycables 10 to aid in supporting the compression members 8 and 9.

The auxiliary cables 10 are secured rixedly to the compression members 8and 9 and to the cable securing means 4 and 5, and they `aid inpreventing -the compression members from twisting or turning. 'I'heauxiliary cables y10 may be secured to the compression members eitherbefore or after the main supporting cable 6 is installed. It may also befound necessary under certain circumstances to further secure thecompression members, either before, during, or after construction with`guy Wires attached to some fixed object. Since this is a well-knownpractice to those skilled in the art, it is believed unnecessary toillustrate or further explain the use of guy Wires.

W'hen canvas, sheet metal, mosquito netting, plastic sheeting or any`other lmaterial useful for covering purposes is spread over theresulting skeleton and secured thereto as in FIGURE 4, a light-Weight,quickly erectable, highly durable, inexpensive, and maintenance-freeshelter is produced thereby.

This innovation results in a skeleton which possesses much improvedcharacteristics of load `distribution and stresses equalization. Byvirtue of these desirable characteristics, attributable to my newconstruction method, it is possible to achieve greater strength than itwas possible to achieve in similar structures of the same weight vwhenusing former methods of construction.

Specically, the improvement is attributable to the fact that althoughthe ends of the cable 6, are fixed, at no point between the ends of thecable is it restrained, except by ordinary frictional resistance, fromlongitudinal movement, stretching or slippage. The result is thatwhenever stress is applied to the cable at any point, either radially orlongitudinally, the longitudinal stress generated thereby is dissipatedthroughout the entire structure because of the ability of the cable to`transmit stresses placed on one portion thereof throughout its entirelength.

For example, suppose that one segment of the cable is impressed with anunusual stress due to `wind or accumulations `of snow and ice on theouter skin. Suppose too, that the individual cable segment, is inaccordance with prior practice, fixed at each cable securing means.Since lthe cable securing means are unyielding and the cable will bedeecte-d a given distance by 'the load, the cable must stretchlongitudinally to compensate for the deiiection. -If more and moreWeight is added, the deflection and consequent longitudinal stretch willincrease until the elastic limit of elongation is reached. When thispoint is reached, the cable Will either snap, or at the least, beseriously damaged. Thus, it is seen that Ithe maximum load-bearingcapacity of the structure is related functionally to the elastic limit`of elongation which is in turn related to the effective length of theloaded segment.

By departing from the old method of employing separated cable segments,lixed to cable securing means, but

unable to transmit stress and strain to other cable segzments, notsimilarly strained, we have increased the effective length of eachsegment to the total effective length of the entire cable of which it isa part. As the effective length of a strained segment is thus increased,the maximum deflection it will bear without failing or becomingpermanently damaged increases as a function of the effective length.Thus, We obtain an increase in strain resisting ability with no increasein the total footage or diameter of cable used. The footage and diameterof cable remaining the same, the total Weight of cable employed in thestructure remains the same. More strain resistance is obtained at noincrease in Weight.

We can now reduce the diameter of the cable, sacriiicing some of theadded strain resistance we have obtained, and diminishing the totalweight of cable needed, but equalling the strain resistance ofstructures constructed according to prior art methods withgreater-diameter, heavier weight cable. Consequently, the Weight of thesupporting frames or compression members may also be diminished, sincethey are no longer required to support as much dead Weight. Theresulting reductions in weight conserve raw materials and yield abuilding of equivalent or greater strength at decreased cost.

Ease of erection is obtained also. When a supporting structure iscomposed of many individual c-ables, it is necessary to carefully adjustthe lengths of the many cables during the course of construction. Thisis because if some sag more than others, the ones which sag leastsupport a disproportionate share of the weight of the structure, whilethe ones which sag too much do not deliver their full potential. Byvirtue of the fact that the unitary cable used in my method is notsecured between its end points, the length of the segments between theframe members i8 and 9 is self adjusting.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I now wish tomake it clear that a number of variations can be made without departingfrom scope of this invention and of the claims appended hereto. Forexample, it is possible that it will be found desirable to use thisinvention in a portable form. In that event, it may be found convenientto employ fixed natural objects such as trees 43 or tree stumps 42, asthe anchoring means as shown in FIGURE 4. Since it may not always benecessary to carry the cable network down the legs of the compressionmembers as shown in FIGURES 1-3, the cable network may be used tosupport `only the roof of the shelter as shown in FIGURE 4.

Also, foldable compression members 36, with pivots 38, legs 4S, andholes 26, as shown in FIGURE 5 may be used in place of the non-foldablecompression members shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 15. Of course, it wouldbe impractical to sink the legs of the compression members of theportable model of FIGURE 4 in concrete, as was done in FIGURE 1.Therefore, to lend greater stability to the legs 45 of collapsiblecompression member 36, a foot structure 34 could be added, similar tothat shown in FIGURE 6. Wood, metal or laminated materials are alluseful for forming the folding, collapsible or telescoping compressionmembers.

Although in the description of the specific embodiment of my inventionshown in FIGURES 1-3, it Was assumed that the cable 6 was threadedthrough holes 26 and 27 in compression members 8 and 9 which are thesame as compression members 8, having holes 26, as shown in FIGURE 7, itmight be found convenient not to use holes in the compression memberitself. For instance, it might be found more convenient to providespaced apart U shaped retainers 30 along the inner surface of a framemember 8, -as is shOWn in FIGURE 8. In order to avoid the lengthyprocess of threading the cable through holes or retainers, notches 28may be cut in the outer surface of the compression member 8, as shown inFIGURE 9 in order to receive the cable.

A very simple form of cable engaging means is shown in FIGURE l0. It is`a simple ring 4, through which the cable is repeatedly threaded inassembling the skeleton of Y the structure. The ring 4 is inter-lockedwith one eye 46 of the turn-buckle 14, which is, in turn, secured by itsother eye 47 to anchor means 2. Any equivalent, vsuch as a block andtackle, a chain fall, or a mechanical jack may be substituted for theturnbuckle 14.

Although the ring type of cable engaging means is adequate, othervariations may be found more advantageous under certain circumstances.Because the compensating movements of the cable are restrained byfrictional resistance developed at those points where the cable comes incontact with the cable engaging means or with the compression members 8and 9 in the holes 26 and 27, or retainers 30, or notches 28, anydecrease in friction which may be eected, will result in an increase inthe effective length of the cable and a consequent improvement in strainresistance. It will also facilitate the use of the turnbuckle iuremoving slack from the cable and promote the maintenance of equaltension throughout the cable network.

Exemplary methods of reducing friction are found in FIGS. 1l and 12which show two types of friction reducing means. In FIGURE 1l, the ring4 has been replaced by a triangle 48, one side of which carries a roller18, about which the cable may be looped. In FIGURE l2 the cable securingmeans is shown in the form of a multisheave block 19, having amultiplicity of sheaves 20, separated by slip-washers 21 and supportedby a frame 23 which is secured directly to the anchor means by a stud25. One loop of the cable 6 may be wound about each sheave 20.

In order to alleviate friction between the compression members 8 and thecable, the `compression member may be provided with notches 28, in whichare rotatably mounted rollers 49 as shown in FIGURE 13. Other means willbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art- In some applications,the inclusion of spring means between the cable securing means and the'anchoring means may prove helpful in alleviating suddenstresses orallowing for expansion `fand contraction with changes in temperature.This is illustrated in FIGURE 14, wherein the spring 50 is locatedbetween the cable securing means 4 and turnbuckle 14, which is attachedto ianchoring means 2. It may even be desirable in some instances toentirely dispense with the turnbuckle when a spring is employed, butthis arrangement, while simpler, has some disadvantages.

The cable itself may -be polyethylene, nylon, stainless steel, rope orany other material which is strong enough to bear the required load. Itshould be understood also that when the term unitary cable is employedin this application, it is meant to include any combination of pieces ofcable which have been spliced Itogether in such -a way that they areable to transmit stress from one to another.

Not only is a variety of materials available for the cable, but thecompression members themselves may be built of many different materials,such y-as reinforced or pre-stressed concrete, steel, aluminum, wood andwood laminates, fiberglass reinforced plastic and so forth. Since mymethod of construction is usable in shelters ranging in size from thatof a smml tent for weekend outings up Ito the size of a large sportsarena, anyone of the above-named materials may be found useful,depending upon the size of structure being constructed.

Exemplary of the large shelters which may be constructed is the oneshown in FIGURE l5. rIn FIGURE l5 there are two compression members 8and 9, as well as cable engaging means 4, 54, 64, 194, 184 yand 94;anchoring means 2, 52, 62, 192, 82 and 92; and turnbuckles 14, 56, 66,196, 86 and 96. There is a first tensioned cable threaded back and forththrough compression members 8 and 9.

Said rst tensioned cable is designated by the numerals 6 and 53. One endof cable 6-53 is passed through cable engaging means 4, laced acrosscompression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means 94,again laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cableengaging means 54, again laced across compression members 8 and 9,through cable securing means 94 `and laced across compression members 8and 9 to cable securing means 4. I'his process is repeated again andagain until sufficient cable has been threaded back and forth aplurality of times to make a cable network suitable for supporting acover in the area between cable securing means 4, 54 and 94. The cableends are then secured and the cable is drawn up tight by means ofturnbuckles 14, 56 and 96.

A second tensioned cable is designated by the numerals 63 and 53. lOneend of cable 63u73 is passed through cable engaging means 194, lacedacross compression members 8 and 9, passed through cable engaging means84, again laced across compression members 8 and 9, passed through cableengaging means 64, laced back across compression members 8 `and 9,passed through cable engaging means 84, and then laced acrosscompression mem-bers Sand 9 to cable engaging means 194. :This processis repeated 'again and again until suflicient cable has been threadedback and forth a plurality of times to make ya. cable network suitablefor supporting a cover in the area between cable securing means 64, 84,and 194. The ends of cable 163-73 are then secured, and the cable isdrawn up tight with turnbuckles 66, 86 and 196. A cover may now lbeinstalled over the cable networks comprising cable 6-53 and cable-63-73.

I have now described how two cables may be supported on a single pair ofcompression members each of said cables being threaded back and forthbetween anchoring means to form 'a plurality of cable loops laced acrosssaid compression members. lSaid cable loops are capable of supporting atleast a portion of cover means spread over them yand of transmittingchanges in cable length and strain in one portion of the cable to otherportions of the structure. Obviously, it would not be a departure fromthe spirit and scope of this invention to thread three or more insteadof two cables back and forth across compression members 8 and 9 so thateach of said cables forms a plurality of cable loops laced across saidcornpression members. Nor would it lbe a departure from the scope yandspirit of this invention to erect side by side several of the basicunits shown in FIGURES 1 3 and then place a single cover over all ofthem.

The exact size and shape of the compression members need not be limitedto the size and shape shown in EIG- URES 1 3. In fact, as long as theyare large enough and strong enough to carry out their function in anygiven embodiment of my invention, the compression members may be of anyconvenient size and shape. For example, the compression member may berectangular, as shown in FIGURE 17, in which the numeral 59 points out asquare compression member having holes Z7 to receive a supporting cable(not shown) in the same manner that compression member 9 in FIGURE 3receives miain supporting cable 6 in holes 2.7.

In FIGURE 16 is a showing of a compression member 69 in the form of thealphabet letter Y having a horizontal bar connecting its upper arms. Thebar is provided with holes 27 through which a main supporting cable maybe threaded in lthe same manner that cable 6 may be passed through holes26 in U shaped compression member 8 as shown in FIGURE l.

Similarly, the compression members may be in the form of the alphabetletters X, Y or T, land the cable may be threaded through spaced apartholes in their upper arms. Also, the compression members may be in theform of triangles, trapezoids, parallelograms and Ithe like.

Still another modification yshould be discussed. In the description ofthe embodiment shown in FIGURE 1-3, it will be recalled that the cableends were tixedly attached to the cable securing means 4 and 5. There isa disadvantage to ixedly securing the cable ends to the 7 cable securingmeans but lthere is yalso a readily available solution `to the problem.The problem relates to the alleviation of `friction.

With the cable ends lixedly secured to the cable securing means, astrain caused by a deflection of the cable in close proximity to the endthereof can only be dissipated along the length of the cable in adirection away from the nearby xed end. One might conclude that thiscircumstance has no bearing on erlciency, since the total length ofcable on both sides of the deflection is the same. However, the frictionlosses at each point of friction are not a linear function of length,but are compounded as the length increases. Hence, if all the strainmust be dissipated in one direction, a loss in efiiciency occurs.

A solution to this problem is found when instead of iixedly securing thecable ends to the cable securing means, one trims the ends of the cableso that they meet somewhere between the two cable securing means, andthey are united or spliced together and so that the cable is therebyrendered endless. Then the stress arising out of the deflection of thecable at any point may be dissipated equally in both diretcions, and theeciency lost by lixing the cable ends is regained.

What is claimed is:

l. in theknown type of shelter structure comprising the combination of acover and a framework for supporting said cover, the improvement in saidframework which comprises:

(a) spaced apart anchoring means,

(b) cable engaging means connected to each of said anchoring means,

(c) spaced apart upright compression members located between saidanchoring means,

(d) a length of cable threaded back and forth a plurality of timesbetween said cable engaging means to form a plurality of cable loopslaced through said compression members,

(e) said cables being held under tension by said cable engaging means,while also being raised and spread apart by said compression members,

(f) whereby said cable -loops are rendered capable of transmitting toone another variations in the stress upon said cable and therebydissipating said variations throughout the other portions of saidstructure.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein a tension adjusting meansis connected between said anchoring means and said cable engaging means.

3. A structure according to claim l wherein said compression members arermly embedded in `an anchoring material.

4. A structure according to claim 1 wherein said compression members areprovided with a foot member for steadying purposes.

5. A structure according to claim l wherein said compression members arecollapsible thereby rendering said structure portable.

6. A structure according to claim l wherein means are provided to reducefriction between said cable and said cable engaging means, Y

7. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reducefriction is a ring.

8. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reducefriction is a roller.

9. A structure according to claim 6 wherein the means provided to reducefriction is a multi-sheave block.

l0. A structure according to claim 1 wherein means are provided toreduce friction between said cable and said compression members.

1f1. A structure according to claim 10 wherein the means provided toreduce friction is a roller installed in said compression member at thepoint of cable engagement.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS758,642 Gotsche May 3, 1904 1,057,366 Vaniman Mar. 25, 1913 2,880,741McGrand Apr. 7, 1959

